Melbourne will be heavily influenced on and off the field by VU Western Spurs players and staff when they tackle Brisbane Lions in the AFL women’s exhibition game at the MCG on Sunday.
The Spurs have four players in the 24-player squad and a further four support staff assisting the Demons’ cause in the latest in a series of exhibition games ahead of the launch of a national women’s league next year.
Spurs media head Kelly Borradale said the game was generating much excitement.
“It’s a huge achievement,” she said of the Spurs’ involvement.
The Spurs “big four” of Bree White, Amy Harrison, Ashleigh Guest and Ainslie Kemp will pull on the red and the blue of Melbourne.
White is no stranger to the jumper. Having featured in past exhibition games for the Demons, the 34-year-old will be one of the more experienced players involved.
Spurs coach Debbie Lee, who is also Melbourne’s community manager, could not speak highly enough of White.
“Bree’s been an outstanding leader,” Lee said. “Particularly in the last two years with the Spurs, when it was really tough – we didn’t win a game last year – her leadership is so valuable on field.
“Just the way she’s able to give information and the way she goes about her game, the preparation – she’s an elite athlete.
“The amount of running she does – I’d like to put a GPS on her because she just covers so much of the ground. She definitely leads by example.”
Kemp is the youngest out of the four, having come out of the Kyneton youth girls team last season.
The Kyneton rookie is turning heads with her natural talent and bubbly personality.
“She’s a very enthusiastic young kid, so keen to learn and take on feedback,” Borradale said. “She just has that raw, natural talent – so exciting to watch.”
The Spurs have many talented people working hard behind the scenes to get the team to the finals in the women’s VFL.
For the AFL match, the Demons will enjoy the services of Spurs training staff Kosti Danilow and Mark Skec, strength and conditioning coach Ben Sortino and statistician Lisa Blackburn.
“It’s really important for the coaches to have all those support people in place,” Borradale said.
